Story because we find in it a possibility for immature prurient humor. Lost In the arguing over details or in the making light of the larger The meaning embedded in the Mystery of the Christmas story is Nuance of meaning is to lose the real meaning to which the words Does it really matter? To quibble over that The word "virgin" means virgin in the sexual sense, or more in the naïve Have sat through more discussions than I care to remember over whether To cast doubt and dissension by trifling over minutia. It is that part of society,Įven found inside the walls of the church, that finds a quibbling energy Holy it is that part that casts educated, scientific disparagingĬynicism on the Holy Mystery. It is that part of society that finds humor in the Is a part of modern society that depresses me, angers me, andįrustrates me. Holy God, transform our shallow grounding in the things of this life into the magnificence of your heavenly realm, and let it be shown to all those around us.
Being fully aware of this transforms our definitions of how to be and live while in this earthly existence it brings the heavenly commonwealth closer to all we meet.
Belief in Him will transform our mortality into the full glory of God's own presence.
Christ is the turning crux of life between these two places. The one foot is firmly planted in heaven the other in this mortal earthly life. Paul says when Jesus comes we become, in essence, citizens of two realms.
Jesus Christ made real the distinctions between this life (bound in our "bodies of humiliation") and where our truer lives were gathered: in heaven. Consciously or unconsciously, all humanity had awaited this affirmation of God's eternal covenant, and here he was: Jesus Christ our Savior. Not his mother, or his father, or the shepherds or the Three Kings could even begin to imagine the changes this little baby Jesus would bring. The angels on the first Christmas appeared in glory to sing: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace." Christ came down, dwelling in a common human body, but showed himself to be much more glorious than any imagined. Glory is that amazing word of blazing light and transforming power through which God's unmistakable presence is shown. Glory, according to the working of power which he has even to Shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to his body of Our commonwealth has its existence in heaven, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, who